I have to be upfront and say that I don’t think coach Rob Walter could have chosen a better 15-man squad for next month’s T20 World Cup in the US and West Indies.
The coach made some tough calls, but in general rewarded form and kept his core group of players together.
Let’s take a closer look at the guys who missed out, the newbies in the squad and guys who are perhaps lucky to be there.
MISSED THE CUT
Matthew Breetzke
FOLLOWING his performances on the domestic scene this season, the 25-year-old Breetzke has every right to feel hard done by.
Unfortunately with a top order of Quinton de Kock, Reeza Hendricks, Ryan Rickelton and Heinrich Klaasen is daar very little room for anyone else.
Breetzke scored the most runs in the recent T20 Challenge and also made the top three of runs scored in the SA20.
He has played three T20Is for South Africa and I have no doubt that he will add to that number in the future.
Rassie van der Dussen
TO MY mind, Walter missed a trick here. Yes, at times Van der Dussen can be “too slow” in terms of his scoring rate, but he has proven over the last while that he can up the ante when he has to.
At 35, Van der Dussen is a leader of men. I just like the way he stood up for Ryan Rickelton – with whom he formed a superb opening partnership for MI Cape Town – during a time when the player was overlooked at national level.
He is in form too, finishing sixth on the scoring charts in the SA20 and following it up with ninth place in the T20 Challenge.
He pushed hard for a place in the team and his experience, calmness, and team-player attitude is something that could have been invaluable. Then again, who do you drop?
Temba Bavuma
THERE are fans who expected the former T20 captain to make the cut in this tournament.
But I reckon the 33-year-old’s time in the shortest format of the Proteas team could be verby. Bavuma played only one match in the SA20 for Sunrisers Eastern Cape and then had a run of 15 matches for the T20 Challenge winners the Lions.
He then scored a combined total of 171 runs including a best of 53* at an average of 21.37. He had a strike rate of 117.93.
Like Van der Dussen, his leadership will be missed in the squad.
Faf du Plessis
ANOTHER former captain that was up for selection and made his stem dik over the last few years, is the 39-year-old Du Plessis. I guess it’s safe to say, he won’t wear the Proteas colours again.
This was his last shot at an international comeback, but 239 runs in 11 matches at an average of 29.87 with a strike rate of 141.42 in the SA20 was not enough to make the cut.
He also scored 288 runs in 10 IPL innings at an average of 28.8.
Lungi Ngidi
I WAS there in March when Lungi Ngidi bowled bowled EIGHT wides in four overs for Paarl Royals against Sunrisers Eastern Cape. I sat there thinking: How can one of the country’s top bowlers fall apart like this? His inability to regroup and get his head in the game bothered me.
Still, when he is on song, Ngidi is a big weapon. On standby for the tournament, he could yet play a role.
Let’s just hope his head is in the game if he cracks the nod.
Dewald Brevis
AT 21, this should have been Baby AB’s big breakthrough tournament on the international stage.
But 46 runs in only two IPL matches at an average of 23 and only 150 runs in nine SA20 innings at 18.75 per innings means this baby is perhaps not getting enough milk to grow.
Let’s just hope that in years to come he fulfils his undoubted potential. Perhaps a season or two under the radar will be good for him?
ONE FOR THE FUTURE
Nqaba Peter
SOUTH Africa picked three spinners – Keshav Maharaj, Tabraiz Shamsi and Bjorn Fortuin. All of them are experienced and deserve their spots in the team. But there is big excitement in South Africa surrounding the “next big thing” Nqaba Peter.
At 21, the leg-spinner looks to have it all after starring in the T20 Challenge.
As a big fan of leggies, I am personally excited to see how he comes through. Maybe for the next World Cup?
SURPRISE
THERE weren’t any real surprises in the team. The two debutants Ottniel Baartman and Ryan Rickelton deserve their shot at the top after starring locally.
Anrich Nortje’s inclusion could be seen as a bit of a gamble, as the speedster was out for a number of months because of injury before returning in March.
South Africa squad: Aiden Markram (captain), Ottniel Baartman, Gerald Coetzee, Quinton de Kock, Bjorn Fortuin, Reeza Hendricks, Marco Jansen, Heinrich Klaasen, Keshav Maharaj, David Miller, Anrich Nortje, Kagiso Rabada, Ryan Rickelton, Tabraiz Shamsi, Tristan Stubbs.
dudley.carstens@inl.co.za